Fife
Cheap date ideas in St Andrews
Updated
St Andrews is a town for walking, so plenty of it is free. Wander West Sands, the beach from the opening of Chariots of Fire, walk the Old Course on a Sunday and stand on the Swilcan Bridge, or head out along the harbour pier at dusk. The Wardlaw Museum is free, and the cathedral grounds cost nothing to walk round. For a few pounds, climb St Rule’s Tower, crawl through the siege tunnels under the castle, see a show at the Byre or take your time in the Botanic Garden. Jannettas has been making ice cream since 1908, and a short drive down the coast brings you to fish and chips at Anstruther.
Our picks
West Sands
West Sands Road, north of the town centre
Address: West Sands Road, St Andrews KY16 9XL- Outdoors
- Free
- Romantic
Walk the two miles of wide, flat sand that run north from the Old Course, the beach the runners race along in the opening of Chariots of Fire.
Why it's a good date: Big skies, room to breathe and no charge. Go at sunset or first thing on a winter morning, then warm up with a hot drink back in town.
Photo: Mark Anderson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
St Andrews Cathedral and St Rule's Tower
The Pends, east end of the town centre
Address: The Pends, St Andrews KY16 9QL- Culture
- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
- Romantic
Wander the ruins of what was once Scotland's biggest church, then climb the narrow stair of St Rule's Tower for a view over the rooftops, harbour and sea.
Why it's a good date: The grounds, with their old gravestones and towering gable ends, are free to walk round. The tower climb needs a ticket and isn't always open, so check before you go; it's worth it on a clear day.
Photo: Steven1991, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
St Andrews Castle
The Scores, town centre
Address: The Scores, St Andrews KY16 9AR- Culture
- Cheap and cheerful
Explore the ruined bishops' castle on the cliffs, peer into its bottle dungeon and crawl through the mine and countermine tunnels dug during a siege in the 1540s.
Why it's a good date: The tunnels are low, dark and a bit of an adventure, so wear shoes you don't mind getting dusty. It's a few minutes' walk from the cathedral, so do both in one go.
Photo: Dbrooke1829, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
The Old Course on a Sunday
Golf Place, by the R&A clubhouse
Address: Golf Place, St Andrews KY16 9JE- Outdoors
- Free
Walk out across the most famous golf course in the world on a Sunday, when it's closed to golf and opens up for anyone to stroll, and stand together on the little stone Swilcan Bridge.
Why it's a good date: Free, a bit surreal and great for a photo. Keep off the greens, check the links' website in case a tournament is on, and carry on to West Sands afterwards.
Photo: Optograph, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized)
The harbour and the pier
The Shore, below the cathedral
Address: The Shore, St Andrews KY16 9RG- Outdoors
- Free
- Romantic
Walk down past the cathedral to the little harbour, then out along the long stone pier to the end for a view back over the town.
Why it's a good date: Short, free and lovely at dusk. On Sundays in term you might see students in red gowns doing their traditional pier walk, and East Sands is just round the corner if you want to keep going.
Photo: habiloid, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
St Andrews Botanic Garden
Canongate, south of the town centre
Address: Canongate, St Andrews KY16 8RT- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Cosy
Wander eighteen acres of woodland walks, rock gardens, ponds and meadows by the Kinness Burn, a short walk from South Street.
Why it's a good date: Calm and green, and much quieter than the beach in summer. Bring a flask and find a bench by the water; it's a good one for a slow afternoon.
Photo: Mike Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
The Byre Theatre
Abbey Street, town centre
Address: Abbey Street, St Andrews KY16 9LA- Event
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Culture
See a play, a gig, a comedy night or a student production at the town's theatre, run by the University of St Andrews.
Why it's a good date: Small, friendly and usually good value, with something on most weeks in term. Have dinner on South Street first, which is just round the corner.
Jannettas Gelateria
South Street, town centre
Address: 31 South Street, St Andrews KY16 9QR- Café
- Cheap and cheerful
- Foodie
Queue with everyone else for a cone at the family gelateria that's been making ice cream in St Andrews since 1908, with over fifty flavours to choose from.
Why it's a good date: An ice cream in St Andrews is part of the day, whatever the weather. Pick two flavours each to share, and walk them down to the harbour.
Wardlaw Museum
The Scores, town centre
Address: 7 The Scores, St Andrews KY16 9AR- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Look round the University of St Andrews' free museum, with treasures from more than six centuries of Scotland's oldest university, from ceremonial maces to scientific instruments.
Why it's a good date: Free, compact and right on the clifftop, with a terrace that looks out over the bay. A good one for a shower, close to the castle and the aquarium.
Photo: Pretzelles, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
The R&A World Golf Museum
Bruce Embankment, by the Old Course
Address: Bruce Embankment, St Andrews KY16 9AB- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
Trace six hundred years of golf, from old feathery balls and hickory clubs to the champions of the Open, in the museum beside the Old Course's first tee.
Why it's a good date: Fun even if only one of you plays, and the other might be converted. Book online ahead for the best price, then walk across to the Swilcan Bridge afterwards.
Photo: Drkirstyross, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Fife Coastal Path to Crail
From East Sands to Crail, about 13 miles
Address: Crail harbour end, Crail, Anstruther KY10 3SU- Trip
- Outdoors
- Free
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Active
- Out of town
Walk the Fife Coastal Path south from St Andrews past rocky shore, the Rock and Spindle sea stack and farmland to the old fishing village of Crail, with its tiny harbour.
Why it's a good date: A proper full-day walk with a pretty harbour at the end. Set off early, take a picnic, and catch the bus back along the coast road; for a shorter day, walk as far as Kingsbarns.
Photo: Mat Fascione, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Anstruther Fish Bar
Shore Street, Anstruther, about 10 miles south
Address: 42-44 Shore Street, Anstruther KY10 3AQ- Restaurant
- Cheap and cheerful
- Out of town
Drive down to Anstruther in the East Neuk for fish and chips from one of Scotland's best-known chippies, then eat them on the harbour wall.
Why it's a good date: Simple and very good. Watch the gulls if you eat outside, then walk along to Pittenweem or on to Crail for a look at the other harbours.
Photo: Richard Sutcliffe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
Tentsmuir Forest and beach
Kinshaldy, near Leuchars, about 10 miles north
Address: Kinshaldy car park, Tentsmuir, Leuchars KY16 0DR- Trip
- Outdoors
- Free
- Out of town
Walk through the pine forest at Tentsmuir to a huge, empty beach backed by dunes, and look out for seals hauled out on the sandbanks.
Why it's a good date: Wilder and quieter than West Sands, with miles of sand to yourselves. Bring binoculars for the seals, keep your distance from them, and take a picnic for the dunes.
Photo: Steven Watson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Quick answers
Can anyone walk on the Old Course?
Yes, on a Sunday, when it's closed to golf and opens up for anyone to stroll. Keep off the greens and check the links' website in case a tournament is on.
Is the Wardlaw Museum free?
Yes. It's the University of St Andrews' museum on the Scores, free and compact, with a terrace over the bay.
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